Chapter 5.3

The flight from the Old World to the New World would take almost seven hours, and the woman could find something to do. The first thing, of course, was to read all the new reports on the "First" experiment, the only successful attempt of the previous experiment codenamed "Chimera."

Jessica smiled - the name of the mythical creature, consisting of several different animals, was perfect for this. Created on the basis of the first known symbiotes - Venom and Carnage, the First also included the DNA of many famous superhumans (those of them who used their powers, and did not rely on technology like the Iron Lady).

Even those alien crystals from Madagascar came in handy in this matter. The artificial symbiote showed amazing regenerative qualities and the ability to resist external threats and irritants. So, viruses and poisons that made the First experience wild pain the next day no longer acted so effectively, and after another day she acquired complete immunity to them.

Only to open fire and strong sound waves, the First, like its ancestors, was very vulnerable, but the curators of this project unanimously claimed that over time, the First would acquire immunity to them.

The project promised to gain huge profits and was supposed to be in demand in such areas as medicine - to become a real panacea due to tissue regeneration and immunity of the First, and in military affairs - the strengthening of physical characteristics made real "supers" from ordinary soldiers.

But because of one "accident", the result of the labors of dozens of people, years of work and hundreds of millions of dollars - escaped. Moreover, she had already found a carrier, which was depressing and made the capture of the First even more difficult.

And so far, all efforts to find and capture the company's property have yielded absolutely no results. Even despite the fact that the internal security service was able to find the place where a random witness saw a possible carrier of the First, nothing was found except for damage to the roof and parapet of the building itself.

And after that, the carrier of the First completely disappeared - most likely hiding. She hoped they hadn't left the city, otherwise the whole project would go down the drain. Jessica sighed, put the folder with the useless report aside and settled more comfortably in her chair - she needed to sleep.

Even though she would arrive in New York in the evening due to the time difference, she would have to immediately plunge into work. There was a lot of it in the New York branch. And as luck would have it, she couldn't even call her brother - to please him with her arrival, first she would have to sort out urgent matters. Oh well, her arrival would be a surprise, Peter would be happy!

The New York branch of LifeCorp was located in the Bronx, next to one of the many parks there. The five-story building, almost entirely made of steel and glass, blended harmoniously into the surrounding greenery.

But the main premises and laboratories began at a depth of ten meters, immediately under the basement and underground parking, where there were five more floors. A column of cars, one of which Jessica was riding in, drove into the underground part of the building one after another. The security here was no worse, and maybe even better, than in most of the country's major banks or the homes of world celebrities.

Although the local director had been warned about the new people, he still had to go through a full check. From a banal document check to scanning the retinas, fingerprints and a full check for various bugs and other spy equipment. Having completed the necessary checks and having received a regular white work coat, a pass and a personal key card, Jessica was led downstairs by a petite local colleague, while all the internal security staff, of whom, by the way, six were men, were immediately sent to their local colleagues to find out the situation and unload the additionally brought equipment.

- Any news on the location of the First? - Jessica began, attaching the pass to her coat.

- No, ma'am, but we are diligently searching! Five of our groups patrol the city around the clock. A special program written by our IT specialists is constantly searching the Internet for words and images even remotely related to and resembling the First, - her guide answered too quickly. - Apparently you are not trying hard enough if the head office had to send us, - Jessica answered rudely.

The girl did not answer, only cast an angry glance at the guest.

- Jessica! - a familiar voice made the woman turn around, and then smile sincerely.

- I am so glad to see you! — Alicia, who seemed to appear out of thin air, hugged her friend tightly and kissed her on both cheeks, Richter responded in kind.

— Alicia! You… — the compliment stuck in her throat. The woman looked tired, bags under her eyes, disheveled hair, unkempt appearance.

— Yes, I know, — Alicia waved her hand sadly, — but eighteen hours of work a day are not good for your appearance. I even sleep and shower here, and not in an allocated apartment, there's so much work.

You're free, — the woman waved her hand to the girl who was accompanying her friend, who chuckled and proudly walked away from the two women.

— Come on, come on! I'll show you and tell you everything here, — putting her arm around her friend's waist, Alicia led her down to the elevator.

— Is security always so strict here? There were more checks than in the main office!

— No, the requirements were tightened after the First's escape.

— So how did this happen? I've read the reports, but I'd like to hear your version of events. Was it sabotage? An attempted kidnapping with a diversionary tactic?

- Eh, - Alicia sighed wearily, - oddly enough - no. An internal investigation, and an investigation by two independent experts,hired personally by Director Yamamoto showed that with almost a hundred percent probability it really was an accident. Short circuit, faulty wiring, far from the fire extinguishers.

You know," Alicia leaned towards her friend and whispered in her ear, "it would be better if it was sabotage or an attempted kidnapping, it would not be so offensive. By the way, guess what? - the woman finally released her friend from her embrace and applied her key card to the elevator touch panel to call it and smiled conspiratorially.yandex.ruAdvertisingYandex Direct will bring

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- What? - was all that was left to ask Jessica. -

Three days ago... or was it four? I completely lost track of time in this dungeon! Anyway, a few days ago, your cute brother called me! - Alicia smiled widely and, together with her friend, entered the elevator that had pulled up and pressed the button for the minus second floor.

- Really? - Jessica was surprised. It was a surprise to her that her brother had even listened to her and gone on a date with her friend, although he had previously flatly refused to do so. And what if he had called Alicia himself! Maybe he really liked her?

A couple of plans on how to bring her brother and friend even closer together instantly appeared in the older sister's head.

- Yeah, can you imagine? I didn't expect anything like this at all. Especially after I dumped him right during our date, because of what happened here, - the woman raised her hands as if she was simultaneously pointing at the entire New York branch of LifeCorp.

- It was very nice, - Alicia tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her ear, - at the end of the conversation he said that he was expecting a call from me as soon as I could and said "see you later", and during the date he behaved quite normally, and not embarrassed and confused as you assured me, towards the end of the evening he even began to take the initiative, and at parting we even kissed! In general, everything turned out much better than you said. I thought I would have to gently push the boy into everything, but he himself was not at all against it, as it seemed to me. Well, you know what I mean, - Alicia slyly winked at her friend, - it's a pity that everything fell through. And there was something to talk about with him. I really liked your brother, and I do not intend to let mine go. Jessica, you should know," the woman looked her colleague in the eyes seriously, "I have the most serious plans for your brother, with me he can worry about nothing - he will have everything, I will try, and your approval is important to me." "What? Of course! I'm so happy for you!" Jessica hugged her friend with a smile, and she returned both the smile and the hug. "Well, brother, I didn't expect this from you," the woman chuckled. "Then we'll have to finish the main part of the work quickly, otherwise who knows," this time Jessica winked at her friend, "he'll get tired of waiting and find himself another wife and you'll only be the second, or even the third. Or they'll catch him himself. Ha-ha-ha! "Oh, come on!" Alicia pouted good-naturedly and poked her friend in the side with her elbow. "Come on, I'll show you your office, it's next to mine."

Thanks to Peter's memory, I remembered what all of his relatives looked like, but I couldn't help but take a closer look at Jessica. Jessica Richter was a tall, stately, and very beautiful woman. Neat features, sharp cheekbones, full lips, green eyes with long eyelashes, and long brown hair that was currently gathered at the back of her head in an intricate bun. The woman was dressed in a jacket that barely reached her waist, a white blouse, a short skirt, and either stockings or tights, and elegant black high-heeled shoes. Coupled with her hourglass figure (quite impressive breasts, a thin waist, and wide hips), the woman looked very sexy. For a second, I even regretted that she was a blood sister to this body. In general, Jessica's image resembled the image of a strict teacher from porn films (of which there were practically none in this world) or a businesswoman. Jessica was waiting for me in another part of the city, next to a tall residential building, although not a skyscraper. The taxi stopped right in front of her and as soon as I got out and closed the door, a woman's joyful scream reached me, and then I was roughly hugged and buried my face in my sister's chest. - Brother! How glad I am to see you! How are you here? You've grown and matured! Probably, there is no end to the fans? I hope you really stopped eating these semi-finished products? You only ruin your health with them! - Still pressed to her chest, I sighed, partly because Peter did not like this attitude towards him from his sister (and other relatives, only my father did not coddle him), partly because her behavior was very similar to the behavior of my now deceased grandmother on my mother's side. The good-natured old lady always said something like this to me: "How skinny! Here, have some fresh soup.", "What a handsome man he has arrived! The girls, I bet, won't leave you alone? I hope I'll live to see my great-grandchildren." Unfortunately, she didn't. When I already thought that Jessica had decided to strangle me like that, she finally broke away from the hug and began to quickly kiss me on the cheeks and nose, as if I really were a "little brother" of about five or six years old, and not an adult guy. "Hi, Jess, I'm glad to see you too," I finally broke free from my sister's tenacious hands and mechanically rubbed my face, as it turned out not in vain, there were noticeable traces of lipstick on the back of my hand, with a sigh I took out a handkerchief and began to clean my face from the consequences of my relative's joy. "Yes?" But from our conversation, it didn't seem that way to me," Jessica folded her arms under her chest in mock offense, pouted, and turned away. "Well, who flies from one continent to another and only tells you about it when you urgently need to come for her, huh?" I also folded my arms over my chest, and then decided to add: "I thought that I meant a little more to you and that I could be warned about something like that." My words had the effect of a bomb exploding. Jessica looked at me with fear and in an instant she was next to me,in order to grab me in her steel embrace again. - Well, forgive me! Forgive me, please! - the woman began to quickly kiss me again, this time on the top of my head, because my face was again in her chest. - I told you that I flew here for work, a couple of days ago and urgently, and spent all this time in the office, distracted only by sleep, a shower, and sandwiches. - Two days ago? - I managed to escape from my sister's captivity. - And you called only now? What happened there? First, Alicia is torn away right from our evening, then all these days she turns out to be busy, so much so that she hasn't even called me back yet, I'm even starting to think that I somehow pushed her away and she didn't like me ... - No, no, what are you saying! - Jessica waved her hands, interrupting me. - It's quite the opposite! - M-m-m, - I drawled ambiguously, - okay, that's understandable, but why did they call you? And from another continent? I hope the city is not in danger? - I can't say, you know that. Sorry. - Oh, I understand everything about you. Okay, get in, let's go to my place, - with these words I opened the door of the patiently waiting taxi, waiting for my sister to deign to get in, but she was waiting for something in response. - Well, are you going to get in? - So you opened the door for me? - the woman blinked her eyes with an obvious question, as if I had done something extremely unusual. Oh, right, because usually it's local women who open doors for men. I don't think I'll ever get used to it. - Very... unusual and nice! - the woman kissed me on the left cheek again, and nevertheless got into the car. - Your future wives will be very lucky to have you.— the woman kissed me on the left cheek again, and nevertheless got into the car. — Your future wives will be very lucky to have you.— the woman kissed me on the left cheek again, and nevertheless got into the car. — Your future wives will be very lucky to have you.Advertising Not finding what to answer to this, I got into the car, telling the taxi driver (a man, by the way) to take me back to the place where he picked me up from. Taking out a handkerchief, I once again wiped the sign of Jessica's attention from my face. "Another mark on the nose on the right side, closer to the eye." - the voice of the symbiote was heard and I wiped this mark from the kiss too.

***

The guards at the post downstairs watched Jessica and me with very close attention, apparently deciding that I had said goodbye to their colleague and friend so abruptly because of another woman (in a way, they were right), and they would definitely tell Lisa about it. I was already starting to regret my fleeting decision. Having gone up to my floor and entered the apartment (Jessica had been walking ahead the whole time, as if I had come to visit her, and not the other way around), the woman began to examine it meticulously, crawling into all the corners, like a seasoned investigator conducting a search, and all that was left for me to do was change my clothes (by the way, Jessica took off her shoes before going further, apparently life in Europe was taking its toll), sit down on the sofa and patiently wait for the nurse to finish her check. About ten minutes later, the woman sat down next to me and looked at me intently, only glancing briefly at the TV screen, which I had turned on so as not to get bored. - Well, you didn't deceive me about the real food. Frankly, I'm quite surprised by this. Surprised and glad that you... - Jessica somehow abruptly broke off in mid-sentence. I had to raise my eyebrows in surprise in a silent question. - Peter, where is your scar? Oh, Jessica called Peter by name, she did it only when she was really serious. And what scar did she mean... Oh, the one on my face, from the Chitauri weapon. I had already forgotten about it. - Well, I removed it, - I answered as if it were self-evident and shrugged. - How? Where? When? - With each question, Jessica leaned forward more and more, as a result, the tips of our noses almost touched, and the slight smile that was on her face the whole time we were together disappeared from her face, and all the cheerfulness disappeared from her voice. - Well, recently and at the doctor's, - he half lied, half told the truth, you can't tell me that the scar was cured by an alien entity? And why was she so interested in this? - What kind of scar? - Jessica continued her interrogation and leaned towards me even more, this time I had to step back. - A regular scar, what's the matter? What interested you so much about it? - What's the matter?! What interested you? - the woman threw up her hands, said this extremely loudly and straightened up. - Yes, because of this trivial wound, as we thought at first, you lay in the hospital for more than a month! According to the doctors, this scar should have remained with you for the rest of your life and periodically caused attacks of pain! The best plastic surgeons that my father or I could find and hire could do nothing, the scar rejected all transplanted skin, from donors to synthetic, no regenerative substances worked on it! Even I didn't know what could be done, and I'm also a doctor! And then you say that you removed it quite recently and with the help of the most ordinary doctor! Of course I care and am interested in this! - Jessica finished, breathing heavily and looking intently into my eyes. Oh, that's a big problem. Who could have known?That this small black scar would be such a serious injury? And what should I tell her? And why don't I remember these moments of Peter's life at all? Damn, if Jessica weren't a doctor, it wouldn't be much easier, but as it is, I'll have to lie to her, which, by the way, I was very reluctant to do, I don't know why. I need to answer her like her example with the non-disclosure agreement. "Well, Peter, I'm waiting!" the woman reminded herself. "Well, I can't tell you who this doctor was, I'm sorry." "What? Why? Peter, understand, now I'm interested in this not only as your sister, who is glad that you got rid of this scar, but also as a doctor. If this doctor was somehow able to heal the wound from the radiation weapon of an alien race, which many famous doctors and clinics could not do, then this can help all of medicine as a whole. Damn, it's logical. It seems like I only made things worse. I'll have to invent something and lie again. — Well, I don't think he can help medicine as a whole. — Why is that? — He doesn't have a medical degree, — I quickly found myself, which made my sister's eyes widen in fear, — or rather, he was excommunicated from medical practice. For life. — Wha-a-at? — my sister drawled, and I heard her heart beat extremely fast. — What do you have to do to get a doctor excommunicated from practice forever? And you decided to go to that... that butcher? That vivisectionist? The "black" surgeon? I'm even afraid to imagine how and with what he removed that scar! How did you even get to him? You acted extremely unwisely and thoughtlessly, Peter! Yes, that woman was extremely angry and dissatisfied with me about this, and she will certainly suspect me of something illegal, and will definitely try to find out something. What should I do? I had one theory, but I had no desire to try to test it. Although, looking into the dissatisfied eyes of this woman, who definitely did not intend to retreat, there was no other choice. Taking a deep breath, I made the most pitiful and offended face I was capable of: - What do you order me to do? Walk around as a freak for the rest of my life, since neither you nor my father could help me? So I took care of myself, otherwise not a single girl would have looked in my direction! - I almost shouted the end of the phrase, imitating a breaking voice, and again such words caused an unprecedented storm of care and warmth from the woman (even if she was a sister). I will definitely never get used to this world. - Brother! Silly! What are you saying! - I was again squeezed in Jessica's bear hug. - Not a single one will look, pfft! Alicia, look, didn't even mention your scar, and she is determined to meet you again and start a serious relationship! - Alicia? - Well, yeah, we work together, remember? By the way, - Jessica winked slyly, - we've finished almost all the work and have gone into... Hmm, how should I say it? Standby mode, that's it. So, be prepared to meet my friend again in a few days. By the way, did you like her? - Yes. A beautiful and interesting woman, it seemed to me. - You weren't imagining things.Alicia is really like that. I'm sorry if my words offended you, - the woman stroked my head, - but you really acted unwisely. Promise me that if something like this, God forbid, happens again, you will only use the help of qualified doctors with current practice. - I promise, - all I could say. - That's good, - Jessica exhaled, but she was in no hurry to let me go. We spent several minutes in this position. - By the way, how long will you be in the city? And where will you live? - I asked the main questions that interested me and gently freed myself from my sister's hands.Advertising — I don't know how it will work out. It could be for a few days, or weeks, or even months. I will be living in the same area where you picked me up from, the company provided an apartment not far from the office for the duration of this business trip. I would like to live with you, however, it takes a long time to get from your place to work, but I will come to you as soon as I can. Hmm, I will have to revise my plans a little. It's good that she will not be living here, otherwise I will not see training and the like. — And now you answer my question, — I just looked questioningly at the woman. — There is alcohol and sliced ​​snacks in the refrigerator, and the apartment smells of someone else's perfume. Were you with someone? — Well, yes, — what a detective! — A woman was visiting me. We had dinner, drank, talked. — And that's all? — Jessica asked slyly. — That's all. Your call prevented the rest, — I said with offense. The woman blinked questioningly a couple of times, and then burst into loud laughter. - What's funny? - It's just that a couple of days ago I told Alicia that she should hurry with you, otherwise you'll find someone else! Look, I was right. Ha-ha-ha! - Having finished laughing, the woman looked at me strangely and ran the back of her hand over my cheek. - Oh, brother, you've changed so much in the past year. You removed the scar that made you depressed, started eating real food, you keep your apartment tidy, you go outside, you even started dating girls. Your father, mothers and sisters will be happy to know about this. And that leads to another question, - the woman's face instantly became serious, and she looked at me intently, - who are you and what have you done with my brother? I felt my heart skip a beat, and my eyes opened twice as wide as physically possible.

"She knows!" — First screamed in panic and I felt the symbiote's flesh start to show through under my shirt.

— Ha-ha-ha, oh, — Jessica laughed again, which stunned me again, — oh, sorry, it was a stupid joke, but you really are like another person. In a good way. Like in that old sci-fi movie. I'm really glad you started living, — Jessica kissed me lightly on the forehead, — okay, let's go to the kitchen, otherwise I'm hungry, and I wouldn't mind some wine, — with these words the woman stood up and headed to the kitchen, still occasionally laughing at her successful joke. Was it a joke? You should be more careful with her.